The Orioles would consider a four-year deal for Jackson, though they seem more comfortable with a three-year deal that includes a fourth option year, Connolly writes. If Jackson seeks a one-year deal, Baltimore would seem to be an unlikely destination given its hitter-friendly park, remote chances of contending and division.

if that’s the best offer he’s getting why wouldn’t the Reds sign him on a one year deal? I think it would make more sense to sign a one year deal in the NL and improve your stock more than he probably can in the AL.

and if it’s from a team i’d like to play for, maybe i take it. but if it’s from e.g. the 2012 orioles, probably not

i’ll be 29 next year. even if my season is a bit worse than 2011, there’s a good chance that’ll be a 4th straight year of 200 innings; 6 of 30+ starts. buehrle did well with a similar resume and i’ll be younger and better than he was. plus, again, my agent is scott boras

Alot of the big market clubs that might ordinarily be in the mix are being budget conscious this year, as they try to stay close to the luxury tax threshold. But they may have some dead weight contracts coming off their books after this season. So, a guy like Jackson could potentially generate more interest from teams next season. By re-entering the free agent market next year, he might be able to play on a team with playoff aspiration AND get multiple years on his contract. This off-season its one or the other – multi year deal on a losing team or 1 year deal on a contender.

It also would make no sense for Jackson to go to the Orioles if he’s only on a one-year deal. He’s going to want to be on a team where he can shine and then re-enter the market. The Orioles are not good, in a tough division and a hitter’s park.

I think he’s a perfect fit for the Orioles. A solid pitcher with a shot at being better than he’s been (I truly believe he’s one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball), but someone that even if he just maintains — posts 200 innings and a 3.75 era for the next four years — he’ll be valuable. Also someone that seems to be attracting less than than market value for whatever reason. Takes a lot of pressure off the younger guys and someone to build around.

I have to agree completely. Ever since Lackey’s injury was annouced I was shuddering thinking of Jackson signing with the Sox. However my assumption at the time was any deal would be a long term one. However a one year deal with Jackson taking over as a number 4 pitcher would be worth $10M.

I’m with you guys. Heck, I’d give him a little more than 10 to make it especially enticing (though 1/10 is the Beltre special). I’d rather have him for 1 year than 4. For the love of God, Ben, don’t be counting on Bard as a reliable starter for an entire year, let alone your #4.

He’s not going to want to go to either Safeco or Petco. Good for his ERA, but he might end up going back on the market with something like an 8-13 record with those two teams. It makes sense for him to go to a team that has a fair park and a decent team.

I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Although I think they’d probably prefer Oswalt over Jackson. He’s a much better pitcher and he’s asking for less. The only reason Oswalt is not signed is clearly due to his health issue.

What do you think is the better deal to make right now, Jackson for about $10 million or Oswalt for about $8 million? There’s a problem with each of them – Jackson is inconsistent, and Oswalt’s back issues.

Especially annoying when that extra 5 million is the difference between a legit back-of-the-rotation starter like Jackson and a scrub like Cook/Maine/Padilla/Silva. And especially when you just traded your starting shortstop for salary relief :/

Agreed. I’m just hoping that the $5-6M was the original offer (before they had any indication that he would actually take a one year deal) and that they have since upped their offer after hearing that he’ll actually take a one year deal; or maybe even Boras has gone to them and said if they offer such-and-such that Jackson would take the one year deal.

It’s not just Fielder that gives the Tigers a great shot at a ring. Cabrera-Fielder is one of, if not the best 3-4 duos in baseball. Doesn’t hurt to have the reigning AL Cy Young and MVP either. Or a closer who was perfect in save ops last year. Or an all-star caliber catcher and shortstop.

Even if Prince doesn’t put up the same numbers, the Tigers will be just fine.

Do Tigers fans forget V-Mart isn’t playing this year? Fielder as a hitter is a little bit better than V-Mart, so the offense isn’t exactly improving a lot over last year. Austin Jackson isn’t suddenly going to have a .400 OBP or probably even a .350 OBP and Boesch isn’t much better. SSS, but Boesch has been horrible in the 2 hole. Cabrera and Fielder can each hit .400, but if no one is on base it doesn’t matter.

Also, and I hope it doesn’t happen, but look what has happened to Youk since he switched to 3rd from 1B. He’s been horribly injury prone. I would expect at least one DL stint from Cabrera this year if he’s playing 100 games at 3B

There’s no way Miggy comes even close to playing 100 games at 3B this year. I expect 50-70 with the rest coming at DH and 1B.

And no, trust me… we aren’t forgetting Vmart isn’t playing this year. But when Ajax does get on base, he’ll be getting driven in. I’d like to see some more plate discipline, but he’ll be fine. Boesch should have a nice year hitting in the 2 hole… being in front of Miggy and Prince, he should see some good pitches.

And even with slight regression from Avila and Peralta, I still like this lineup a lot… and don’t think it’s even close to “terrible”

Given the weakening of the NL Central this winter, I take it as a lack of confidence by Pirates management if they don’t pursue him aggressively. They need a front line starter and a dependable innings eater. If he could be had for 5 and $40M and if management believes in the run the Bucs had April-July last year, they need to get it done. If their farm ends up developing the arms they think they have, he would be on a very tradeable deal, and you could even give him a limited no-trade clause. Like the Nats going after Werth last year, they may have to overpay somewhat, but how can they let him go elsewhere? Anxious Pirate fan!

I disagree, because with the O’s there is zero chance of contending, and all of the other teams in the division mash the ball. With the Pirates there also might be zero chance of contending, but there are not too many great offensive teams (Reds good, Brewers and Cards obviously not as good as last year, Cubs possibly, Astros not a chance). With Pittsburgh Jackson is towards the top of the rotation, not the bottom. It makes sense to me even for Pittsburgh to try a 1 year deal: if he stinks, or if the team does, he becomes his annual deadline trade bait and you get something for him. Why not at least try for it, Buccos?

I think that Detroit would be a much better option. Austin Jackson is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game, and with his range, perhaps the best. Jhonny Peralta had a UZR of 9.9 last year while Ryan posted one of 7.6. I’ll give you Ackley, he is better than Santiago. But my point is that he can have everything that’s in Seattle plus a good W/L record and play for a contender in Detroit.

Brendan Ryan is better defensively than Peralta. Last year was the first time Peralta has posted above average defensive numbers, so last season was more than likely a fluke. He’s generally a blow average defender, while Ryan is an excellent defender. The whole Mariners infield is easily better than the Tigers, who are more than likely going to have an awful defense.

I wasn’t talking about where Jackson should go or not, just that the Tigers infield defense is horrible. The Mariners aren’t even interested in him, as far as I know. And I’m not a Mariners fan, so it’s not like I was wanting him to go to the Mariners because I’m a fan of the team or anything. I was just making a statement about the defense, that’s all.

It was rumored that the Padres had shown some interest in Oswalt as of late on a 1 year deal, it makes you wonder if Jackson would accept a 1 year deal from the Padres to pitch in Petco? The Padres and Boras worked together last summer to get Hedges under contract, so maybe there is something in the works. I’m going to say wishful thinking, but as a Padre fan I don’t know how I would feel about this. Byrnes seems to be trying to rebuild and contend at the same time, usually a dangerous mix, but unless he completely fell apart, Jackson would help next year.

The way he and Gerald Laird are sending tweets to each other right now, I got a hunch it’s Detroit. Probably just wishful thinking as a Tigers fan, though! Edwin Jackson is seriously the most underrated pitcher in baseball.

As long as Jackson believes he should be getting Gavin Floyd money, there’s no reason for him to sign anything other than a short term deal. It could work out for him. He has a lot of talent, and if he manages to have a fairly good year, he could get a multi-year deal down the road. He’s been durable so far, so the injury risk may be worth taking. He’s actually a good match for Floyd: a perception of great talent, the occasional lights-out performance, but a lack of consistently high performance. Eh.

AL West or NL West would be the perfect destinations for him, especially pitching mostly in pitchers parks (with the obvious texas/colorado parks being exceptions).

would love to see the a’s spend 10 million/year on a 1 or 2 year contract for him, 2 years probably being most ideal. I’ve said it before, on a 2 year deal, he gets to avoid getting mixed into the names of this years upcoming class, and for the team, he has more trade value.

If that’s the case why even pitch in the AL east? atleast 4 out of the 5
teams in the division have dangerous lineups. If he is looking to pad
some stats there are far more weaker divisions to do it in.

A very hot or cold pitcher. He has no-hitter stuff, but for whatever reason can not be consistantly dominant or really consistly anything. Boras wants 5yrs I would say here is a 2 year deal 16-20 million per take it or leave it.

I think at this stage of career, with the fact that he already has the ring, that he is not the top of the rotation arm who can be picky and get the money he wants both at the same time, I would say Orioles seems very likely for Jackson. He needs money. Would you rather want 1/5-6m rather than guaranteed 4/40? I’d say No. Jackson relies heavily on his fastball/slider combos and we all know the danger of using excessive sliders. Try one year and hit the market where there are tons of pitchers superior than him? That sounds dumb.

I’m 99% sure that Jackson will earn 3/30+1/10 mutual option or similar deal either from Orioles or some mysterious teams. Unless he is hardcore sox fan for life, there is no way he accepts this joking 1yr 5-6m from Boston especially there are still other viable options who would throw multi-year contracts he want and that Boras is his agent. This guy already experienced way too many teams in such young age. He probably wants to settle down somewhere.

Jackson may never be the TOR guy, but 4/40 seems too much for him? His WAR for last 3 seasons were 3.6/3.8/3.8. I guess 1WAR is equivalent of 4.5m in open market, no? 3/30 or 4/40 sounds like a bargain for me.

I’m 99% sure that Jackson will earn 3/30+1/10 mutual option or similar deal either from Orioles or some mysterious teams. Unless he is hardcore sox fan for life, there is no way he accepts this joking 1yr 5-6m from Boston especially there are still other viable options who would throw multi-year contracts he want and that Boras is his agent. This guy already experienced way too many teams in such young age. He probably wants to settle down somewhere.

Jackson may never be the TOR guy, but 4/40 seems too much for him? His WAR for last 3 seasons were 3.6/3.8/3.8. I guess 1WAR is equivalent of 4.5m in open market, no? 3/30 or 4/40 sounds like a bargain for me.

My guess is this is posturing from Boras, designed to drive up the value of those multiyear deals. He’ll get 4/45 or more when all is said and done. Orioles (and others?) need to pony up. No way he goes to BoSox for 1/6.

I would have rather seen the Giants not pick up Affeldt’s option and signed Jackson to a one year deal. Hopefully resigning Affeldt as well to less money.

The Giants have Lopez in the bull pen, having two stellar lefties is a luxury. I’d rather have a legitimate SP in the 5th spot of the rotation than a second lefty in the pen. Especially considering how much the Giants struggle when they fall behind early in games.

Would it be possible for the Red Sox to take advantage of their luxury tax situation by signing him to a 1 year deal for $6M with the promise of signing him to a multi-year extension once the season starts? Then his AAV for this year would only be $6M and the extension AAV wouldn’t count until the following season.

That’s essentially what they did with A-Gon; delaying the extension. It would require some trust and a total package large enough to temp him to sign long term, which would mean years and money. So, do the Red Sox want this guy enough to pay the Boras price? I also wonder whether MLB would tolerate what amounts to a dodge of the luxury tax rules. AGon was already under contract when traded for.

Cards offer 3 years for $30 mill, 7 this year then 11.5 next 2 years after Cards clear payroll of Lohse and Westbrook. Miller should be ready in 2013 then Martinez in 2014 to replace Carp. I think Jackson learned a lot last year being on a staff with veterans and could break out this year.

If he would accept a one year deal, and his market seems to be about the same as Oswalt’s, I think he would make sense for the Cardinals. He already has some roots there and the fans like him. Plus, we have a couple rotation spots opening up after this year, which could leave us with Wainwright, Carpenter, Jackson, Garcia, Miller if he wants to sign an extension.

Seattle Mariners can use Edwin Jackson after trading Michael Pindeda to the New York Yankees for Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi (either perfect fit in the bullpen or a year in AAA – Tacoma). He will definitely take pressure off King Felix, Jason Vargas, Kevin Millwood, and young pitchers as Oliver Perez will be great option in the bullpen or in AAA. Paul Knonerko may be an option for some hitting help for the Mariners by acquiring him for pitcher James Paxton or Danny Hultzen & Charlier Furbush or Blake Beaven, and catcher Rob Johnson since AJ Pierzynski is getting up in age. Jack Z and Ken Williams better do something quick before Spring Training starts to compete in the division.

Seattle Mariners can use Edwin Jackson after trading Michael Pindeda to the New York Yankees for Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi (either perfect fit in the bullpen or a year in AAA – Tacoma). He will definitely take pressure off King Felix, Jason Vargas, Kevin Millwood, and young pitchers as Oliver Perez will be great option in the bullpen or in AAA. Paul Knonerko may be an option for some hitting help for the Mariners by acquiring him for pitcher James Paxton or Danny Hultzen & Charlier Furbush or Blake Beaven, and catcher Rob Johnson since AJ Pierzynski is getting up in age. Jack Z and Ken Williams better do something quick before Spring Training starts to compete in the division.